The  Honorable  John  Kline   Chairman,  House  Committee  on  Education  and  the  Workforce   2181  Rayburn  House  Office  Building   Washington,  D.C.    20515     The  Honorable  Robert  Scott   Ranking  Member,  House  Committee  on  Education  and  the  Workforce   2101  Rayburn  House  Office  Building   Washington,  D.C.    20515     September,  2015     Dear  Chairman  Kline  and  Ranking  Member  Scott,       Because  quality  instruction  in  history,  civics,  economics,  and  geography  is  essential  to  the   preservation  of  our  Republic’s  system  of  representative  democracy,  we  urge  you  to  include  the  Senate’s   provisions  to  support  local  schools  in  elevating  instruction  in  these  subjects  when  you  meet  to  finalize  the   reauthorization  of  the  Elementary  and  Secondary  Education  Act.     Each  generation  must  learn  anew  the  principles  of  our  system  of  government  and  of  our  economy.     Without  the  provisions  included  in  the  Every  Child  Achieves  Act,  many  states  and  Local  Education   Agencies  lack  the  resources  needed  to  provide  quality  education  in  these  subjects  in  rural  and  urban   schools  across  the  country.    Schools  have  eliminated  government  classes  as  a  graduation  requirement;   reduced  instructional  time  to  fifteen  minutes  a  day  or  less;  some  even  allow  students  to  meet  their  civics   requirement  by  volunteering  to  answer  phones  and  file  papers  in  the  school  office.    One  survey  of  Iowa   social  studies  teachers  revealed  that  fewer  than  50%  had  been  offered  opportunities  for  professional   development  in  history  or  civics  in  the  previous  two  years.    The  result:    NAEP  tests  document  that  fewer   than  25%  of  eighth  graders  are  capable  of  identifying  the  purpose  of  the  Bill  of  Rights.         The  Every  Child  Achieves  Act  (S.  1177)  includes  four  provisions  to  help  states  prepare  engaged   and  informed  citizens:   Section  2302  provides  competitive  funding  to  LEAs  to  improve  the  teaching  of  history  and  civics.       Section  2303  establishes  intensive  academies  for  teachers  and  students  to  learn  more  about   history  and  civics     Section  2304  authorizes  grants  to  non-­‐profit  organizations  to  make  a  range  of  innovative,   engaging  approaches  to  engaging  underserved  students  in  history,  civics,  and  geography  available  to  local   schools  and  school  districts   Section  1005  allows  parent  engagement  funds  to  be  used  to  support  financial  literacy  activities.       Because  there  are  no  corresponding  provisions  in  the  Student  Success  Act  (H.R.  5),  we  urge  you  to   recede  to  the  Senate  provisions  in  conference.    The  health  of  our  democracy  depends  on  the  quality  of   instruction  today’s  students  receive.     Thank  you  for  your  commitment  to  improving  K-­‐12  education.    We  look  forward  to  working  with   you  to  restore  to  all  students  the  education  necessary  in  a  democracy.           Sincerely,